Giant red sea cucumber • Parastichopus californicus

Top left: a giant sea cucumber among red sea urchins. Photo by Cody Gold. Bottom left and right: a specimen held up for examination demonstrates why this species, which reaches 50 cm long, has the common name of 'giant sea cucumber.' Photos by Elizabeth Bailey (right) and an ES 470 participant.

IdentificationAt a maximum length of 50 cm, the giant red sea cucumber is the biggest sea cucumber species in Pacific Northwest waters. Its elongated body bears cone-shaped papillae (projections) of varying sizes along its length, and 20 short bushy tentacles at one end. The giant red sea cucumber varies in colour, though it is often dark red to reddish-brown, mottled brown, or yellow-brown. Individuals may occasionally be lighter or even white. The underside tends to be a light cream colour; the papillae are usually lighter-coloured as well.

Habitat & RangeThe giant red sea cucumber lives in a variety of intertidal and subtidal habitats: it can be found on sandy, rocky, muddy, and gravelly substrates on exposed to sheltered shorelines, to a depth of 250 m. It tends to be more abundant in calm locations with hard sea floor substrates, where detritus can settle to the bottom making feeding easier.

Human UsesThis species is harvested commercially for consumption: the internal muscle strips and the body wall are especially valued in some Asian countries. Giant red sea cucumber fisheries exist in British Columbia, Alaska and Washington. Only populations in more accessible areas are targeted, and so large areas of the Pacific Northwest coastline have not been subject to sea cucumber harvests. While giant red sea cucumbers are found up to 250 deep, harvests are limited to the safe diving depth of 20 m.